Bicycle



@ l.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

.H. G. GOO-DRIOH. BICYCLE.

No. 437,191. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

I (No Model.) 2'Sheefs 'Sheet 2.

G H. C. GOODRIUH.

BICYCLE. No. 437,191. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. GOODRIOH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BICYCLE.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,191, datedSeptember 30, 1890.

Application filed November 7, 1889. Serial No. 329,583. (No model) yokelikewise carries the treadles, so asto To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. GooDRIcH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chi: cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinols, haveinvented certain new and useful Im provements in Bicycles; and I dohereby de clare that the 'following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the rear of themachine, taken on a line forward of the seat. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsection of the rear of the machine, taken on a line above the lower forkof the frame. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the spring and one form ofconnecting it to the machine. Fig. 5 is a detail of theinterlocking-head between the spring and the yoke carrying theseat-standard and treadle. Fig. 6 is a modification showing hooksinstead of a head for connecting the spring and yoke. Fig. 7 is a detailshowing the seat-standard and the spring for allowing a forward yield ofthe standard.

It has been found in riding. the ordinary form of bicycle having lowwheels, and which are usually termed Safeties, that the effects of thecontinuous jar are felt more or less by the riders, causing adisagreeable sensation if producing no injurious results, and thiscontinuous vibration is due to the rigidity of the frame connecting theforward and rear wheel, which rigidity of the frame is absolutelynecessary in order to properly support the rider, and inasmuch as thejar of the wheel is communicated to the frame and the seat is mounted onthe frame it follows that the vibrations are transmitted to the seat andthe treadles and are received by the rider.

The'main object of the present invention is to overcome this vibratingeffect and at the same time have arigid frame connecting the wheels,with which frame the seat has no connection, to improve the connectionbetween the seat and the treadles, and to improve generally theconstruction and operation of the machine as a whole; and its natureconsists in providing a seat-standard carried by swinging yoke supportedby springs, which maintain a uniformity of length between the seat andthe treadles irrespective of the position of the spring, in providing aseat-supporting standard and a carrying-yoke therefor supported by aspring, to have no connection with the frame of the machine, whichremains rigid while the seat and treadles yield, in providing a springlocated between a yoke carrying the treadles and the sprocketwheel andthe rigid frame for the drivingwheels, and in the several parts andcombinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims as new.

In the drawings, A represents the seat-sup porting standard, carrying atits upper end a seat A, which seat is connected to the standard, in theusual manner, by means of a stem on the seat entering a hole in the endof the standard, with a set-screw a in the standard,

by which the stem can be locked when the seat is properly adjusted.

B is a sleeve, having at its center a socke b to receive the lower endof the standard A. O is a pivotal bolt passing longitudinally throughthe sleeve B and having at one end a head and at its other end ascrew-thread to the yoke D at the juncture of the long and shortportions.

F are the treadle-cranks, each having a treadle F, and these cranksproject out in opposite directions from the end of a bearing-pin locatedin the sleeve E, as usual, which pin projects beyond the outer faces ofthe yoke D.

G are springs, one for eacharm of the yoke D, each spring consisting ofan end g, a coil g, and an end g which end g is fastened by clips g tothe side bar of the lower fork of the frame. The end g of each spring Gpro jects forward and passes beneath a head 71, having a circulardepression 71. and a screwthreaded stem h", which stem can be passedthrough one of the holes (I of the arm of the yoke and be there securedby a suitable nut, and instead of using an adjustable head It foradjusting the tension of the spring such adjustment can be had by hooks1', formed on the side face of each arm of the yoke D, as shown in Figs.2 and 6.

II is the lower portion of the main frame, formed of a yoke shape at therear, to receive the rear wheel, as usual, and formed of a single bar atthe forward end, as usual.

I is the upperportion of the main frame, consisting of a rear yoke and asingle front bar corresponding to the lower portion and rigidly securedto or formed with the lower portion, so that the frame as a whole is one0011- tinuous rigid frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

J is a spring secured at its lower end to the seat-standard B, andextending upward with a forward projection and passing atits upper endthrough a slot j in the upper portion Iof the main frame.

K is the yoke-standard for the forward wheels, to which the main frameis pivotally attached in the usual manner.

L are thehandles, attached to the standard K, as usual.

M is the front wheel, mounted between the forward standards K as usual.

N is the rear wheel, also of the usual construction and located betweenthe rear forks of the main frame in the usual manner.

0 is the mud-guard for the rear wheel.

P is the mud-guard for the front wheel, and these guards O P aresupported as usual.

The crank-pin has secured thereto a sprocket-wheel c, and a hub on therear wheel N has secured thereto a sprocket-wheel e, and over thesesprocket-wheels e and e a drive-chain f runs, so that by the rotation ofthe crankpin from the cranks F, through the treadles F, thesprocket-wheel a will be driven, driving the chain f, which drives thesprocketwheel 6 and rotates the rear wheel N.

The frame formed by the upper and lower sections H and I is a continuousrigid one, and is designed for bicycles ridden by men. For a bicycle tobe ridden by a lady the forward portion of the upper section I is to beomitted, forming a frame such as those used for bicycles for ladies.

The standard A is carried by the sleeve B in the construction shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 3, and this sleeve 13 is carried by the yoke l), and theyoke D likewise carries the sleeve E, with the cranks F and treadles F,and the sprooketwheel e, and this yoke D is in turn carried by thesprings G, so that, in fact, the seat A and the treadles F are carriedby the yoke D and supported by the springs G, furnishing a yieldingsupport for the seat and treadle which will always maintain these partsin the same relative position. The yoke D, through its springs G, willreceive the vibra tions and prevent their transmission to the rider,inasmuch as the yoke is entirely disconnected from the rigid frame, sothat the vibrations of such frame cannot be transmitted to the yoke, andconsequently cannot pass to the rider, and by giving the standard aforward yield through the spring J the bumps of the forward wheel willbe taken by the spring J, thereby relieving the rider of the vibrationfrom the forward wheel, as well as from the rear wheel.

The construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 has the yoke D extending upto meet the sleeve B, thereby forming a pivot between the seat-standardand the yoke to permit of the forward and back swing of the yoke, so asnot to affect the standard by any draw thereon from the change in theposition of the yoke.

The rider mounts the seat A, which is adjusted properly in the usualmanner, and the weight of the rider will carry down the standard A,sleeve B, and yoke D with the treadles F, cranks F, and sprocket-wheel9, thereby maintaining the correct relation for the rider between theseat and the treadles, and the drop of the parts from the weight of therider will be had until the springs G are under a tension suflicient tosupport the riders weight, and when thls condition is reached the weightof the rider is carried entirely by the springs, which allows of thenecessary yield without transmitting any vibrations to the rider, and incase the springs G are not under sufficient strain for the weight of therider when adjusted at the upper adjustment the forward end of eachspring can be adjusted lower down, as required for the weight of therider to relieve the vibrations.

The front and rear wheels are connected by a rigid frame, therebyattaining all the benefits of a rigid connection between. the wheels,and at the same time the seat is supported clear of this rigid frame,and is there fore not subjected to the vibrations of the frame, as suchvibrations are received by the spring G, and as the yoke D, whichcarries the seat and the driving devices, has no connection with therigid frame, it follows that such yoke will not receive the vibrationsof the frame. This machine has therein all of the advantages possessedby the rigid-frame machine, and is free from the disadvantages of suchmachine by reason of the yielding support given to the rider through thespringsupported yoke carrying the seat and the driving devices.

A companion spring can be located on the opposite side of the standard Ato the spring J, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 7, to take therearward thrust or play of the standard. The standard A and the sleeve Bcan be formed from a single piece, and the forward portion of the frameI can be made removable, so that for the use of a lady it can be takenaway, and for a gentleman it can be secured in position by screws,clamps, or other suitable means, thus enabling the frame to be used witheither style of bicycle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a bicycle, of a standard carrying a seat andhinged intermediate of the seat and -treadles, a rigid frame connectingthe wheels, and a spring interposed between the rigid frame and theseat-standard for relieving the seat from vibrations and maintaining thestandard in a straight-line movement, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. The combination, in a bicycle, of a standard carrying, a seat, a yokesupporting the standard and carrying the treadles, a jointed connectionbetween the standard and yoke intermediate of the seat and treadles, arigid frame connecting the wheels, and a spring carrying the yoke,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a bicycle, of a standard carrying a seat, aswinging yoke supporting the standard and carrying the treadles and adriving-wheel, a jointed connection between the standard and yokeintermediate of the seat and treadles, arigid frame, and a springmounted on the rigid frame and supporting the swinging yoke,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a bicycle, of a stan dard carrying a seat, arigid frame connecting the wheels, a spring mounted on the rigid frameand supporting the seat-standard, and a spring attached to theseat-standard and holding the standard against forward play,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, ina bicycle, of aswinging yokehaving the seatpivotally connected therewith and carrying the driving mechanism and aspring supporting the swinging yoke for giving the seat a straight-linemovement and maintaining the seat and treadles in the same relation,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The standard A, carrying the seat A, sleeve B, and yoke I), incombination with the spring G, supporting the yoke D, and a rigid frameconnecting the wheels of the bicycle, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

7. The standard A, carrying the seat A,

sleeve B, pivot O, and yoke D, in combina sprocket-wheel e, cranks F,and treadles F, in

combination with the spring G, the spring J, and a rigid frameconnecting the wheels of a bicycle, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

10. The swinging yoke D, a seat-standard jointed to the yoke, and adriving mechanism carried by the yoke, in combination with the spring G,supporting the yoke D, and a rigid frame connecting the wheels ofabicycle, subtantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. The standard A and swinging yoke D, carrying the driving mechanismof a bicycle and jointed to the standard A, in combination with thespring G, supporting the yoke, and a rigid frame connecting the wheelsof a bicycle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

HARRY o. GOODRICH.

Witnesses:

O. W. BOND, M. L. PRICE.

